Thursday, March 28, 2013

I hope you have already read the first two chapters of the interview in which Rafal tells the story of his musical roots. With the third chapter we reach a part of our conversations in which Rafal explains the essence of his views on the art of improvisations:

(you often define improvisation as an action rather than musical performance, can you elaborate on that?)

Improvisation is not exclusive feature of a musical activity. You can improvise in any field of life. It is a model, a way, a
strategy of action. For improvisaition to take place some requirements have to
be met that are not acoustic-related, that are not "musical". Learning
how to improvise does not happen through learning sounds. Those are merely the
effect of using the method of
improvisation. But this method, and its requirements are equally valid for a
dancer, poet, painter, musician or anybode else. Such a requirement is the ability to perceive the
reality and react to it. If’d have to describe the improvisation I’d say it’s
the art of a deep insight into what’s happening and quick reaction.

Ensemble 56 - 1st Meeting : Towards Sky Flight of Dragon

My personal inspirations for this methodical and
theoritical approach towards the improvisation are rooted in philosophy of Far
East, european tradition of thinking does not provide tools adapt to theoretise
and perfect this kind of activity. According to our culture, improvisation is
always connected to inspiration, it’s an effect divine intervention. You’re taken by
a "furor poeticus" and you don’t really know what’s happening with you. It’d be
hard to perfect e method of taking the advantage of divine intervention, men
have rather little saying in this field.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Wojtek Traczyk name might sound familiar to you from The Light trio with Waclaw Zimpel and Robert Rasz, "Free Solo" is his debut solo cd. Solo performance is possibly one of the most difficult and daring musical tasks one can undertake. One remains bare, completely exposed. No instrumental gimmicks and trickery is allowed. Extreme honesty and commitment is the only way.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Pre-Easter period is a time of deep reflection, preparing ourselves for a celebration. For this week's playlist I grouped together three recently reviewed recordings that seem perfectly fitted for this time, music that is rooted in ancient, spiritual, ritual elements of jewish music. Those recordings are:

Sunday, March 24, 2013

As Easter is near there are few events this week, as there will be no time to give you a heads-up for the next one I decided to pair up the next two weeks and here are my suggestions for the next 14 days:

25.03 Zsolt Soros, Jean-Herve Peron and Theme at Alchemia

THEME is a british-polish unit playing, well, just check the video below. They will be joined by Zsol Sores the electronic sound artist, and Jean-Harve Peron known from the krautrock legent Faust band. Should be enough to start the week.

Piotr will play solo, there's no telling whether the performance will be an example of improvised music in the vein of his EP "Pianohooligan" where he tributes Bach as well Keith Jarrett or maybe he will play some music from his debut longplay cd "Experiment : Penderecki", or else. One way or another (or third way) it should be interesting.

04.04 Miąższ at Alchemia.

Miąższ, with their witty lyrics and cross-genre music that cites on folk, jazz, cabaret, rock, blues, reggae ecc. is one of the few bands that gibe you possibly most fun you can have sober. I wholeheartedly recommend their concert in Alchemia, you might check the post I wrote after the previous one. A precious music video for their lullaby below:

Directions in Music is a series of projects Pawel Kaczmarczyk created to honour jazz heroes, each one featuring a special line-up and honour guest. For the 16th birthday of Harris Piano Jazz Bar three special evenings are lined up:

05.04 Directions In Music for Ray Charles (with Jorgos Skolias on vocals)

06.04 Directions In Music for Stan Getz (with Janusz Muniak on saxophone)

06 - 07.04 Orioxy at PIEC'Art

PIEC'Art brings another scandinavian group to Krakow for a two-night stand. An intriguing instrumental setting puts together voice, harp, bass and drums to bring surprising music that is poetic, dark and theatrical. The material available on the web sounds very inviting.

Aside from being heavy metal fan I was always, and
still am, a keen reader. I devour with passion all kinds of books, I love
written world. And so in my father’s library I found this book „Everything
about jazz” by Joachim Berendt, I’d read without any particular interest till I
got to a mini-chapter dedicated to improvisation. I read that jazzmen do this
thing so each time they play a tune, they play something different. It was
phrased somehow poetically - what a jazzman plays on stage is influenced for
example by the audience, so if there were any beautifull ladies in the front
row, he might play differently then with someone else sitting there.

I couldn’ really immagine what it was about. In the
music school, it’s different, you learn the composition by heart, and you play it as your teachers tell you to,
they’ll show you what is the „right” interpretation. As for rock music, the
thing is equally clear, any improvisation element is circumstantial, you’re
supposed to play the song on stage as it was recorded on the disc. That’s how
the recodring is structured as well, mutlitrack separtely registered, this is
all hard studio work, which you try to immitate during the concert., because that’s
what people who boutght the cd want to hear. And suddenly I found out that
there are people who do something else, it moved my immagination, because
somehow I had known before that music can’t be boring like these – that you
always play the same thing. And ever since I’m interested in the art of
improvisation.

Both Andrea Bolzoni and Daniele Frati are part of the Swedish Mobilia trio whose album "Knife, Fork and Spoon" I found to be extremely intriguing example of post-rock improvisation. "Dialvogue" strips down the music to the duo, leaves away the massive sound of the heavy rock and leaving the two musicians to create a very etheral music.

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Rafal Mazur is one of the most active improvisers on Krakow scene has been mentioned many times on this blog. His involvement with improvising scene is now far beyond local interest as he works regularly such musicians like Mikolaj Trzaska, Artur Majewski, Raymond Strid, Keir Neuringer, Liudas Mockunas and many more.

As I had a long conversation with Rafal, and we talked about improvisation, recent records, history, beer, heavy metal and many more, there were two main themes that emerged.

Firstly, Rafal's personal story as a musician, from the very beggining. An personal account that gives also an intriguing perspective on the beginnings of Krakow and polish improvising scene.

Secondly, Rafal talked a lot about his views about the improvisation itself, its methods and goals and those reflections formed naturally an essay about the nature of this art which I find really inspiring.

As the volume of the text is substantial, the interview will be divided in more chapters which will presented on the blog seperately. I hope you'll enjoy the read.

I took also this opportunity to invite you once again, on Rafal's behalf, to participate in the upcoming concerts with Marco Eneidi. 20.03 in Krakow at Literki. 21.03 in Sopot at Lalala (with Jerzy Mazzoll on clarinets; btw, isn't that a most brilliant name for a restaurant/hotel?).

As
for the begining, the situation was very simple – the circumstances in which I
were introduced to music would be hard
to forget: my father was a musician. Not
a professional one, but he was one of
the first in Krakow to play jazz, more on the entertainement side, ballrooms music, accompanying vocalists
singing some slightly jazzed up polish songs. I wasn’t really interested, but
there was lots of music at home, we had a lp player and quite big record
collection. My mom would sing in one of those groups and that’s how my father
met her.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Leszezk Żądło European Ensemble will play two dates, first on 19.03 at Harris Piano Jazz Bar, the second one 24.03 at PIEC'Art

20.03 Possibly the most interesting concert of the week.
Rafal Mazur will guest Marco Eneidi at Literki
The concert is part of the Improwizje series.
I had a very interesting talk with Rafal last weekend and will try to post parts of the conversation soon on the blog.

on 20.03 and 21.03 Kuba Pluzek on piano will entertain audience at PIEC'Art. I've seen him play Stevie Wonder songs, jazz standards, modern jazz as well as completely free jam sessions. He will play with a trio featuring Max Mucha and Dawid Fortuna.

21.03 as well the High Definition quartet will play at Harris Piano Jazz Bar.

I've written about the ensemble led by Piotr Orzechowski on few occasions already so let me just repeat it is a very high quality modern jazz, video below should be a prove enough.

21.03 again, the first day of the spring, Chlopcy Kontra Basia, one of my favourite polish bands will play again in Krakow, this time supporting the concert by indie-pop singer Julia Marcell at Forty Kleparz

The modern jazz quartet is : Bartlomiej Prucnal (saxophones), Cybrian Baszynski (trumpet), Michael Parker (bass) and Dawid Fortuna (drums) swept the Jazz Juniors competition in the december of the 2012.

Mike Parker is a New York born, living in Krakow bass player. His compositions for the Unified Theory band try to bring together such distand genres like avant jazz, rap, hip hop or rock. The group features some of the most prominent young talents of Krakow scene:

S.Pezda-ts, C.Baszyński-tr, M.Gawęda-p, M.Parker-db, P.Dobosz-dr

on 23.03 as well on of the most jazz-rock-latin-indie-cinematic orchestras in the history, the fabulous Mitch & Mitch will entertain you at Dom Kultury Kolejarza

Friday, March 15, 2013

Veryan Weston is one of the mainsays of british improvised scene, one of my biggest regrets of last year is that due to the sickness I've missed his concert in Alchemia playing with Trevor Watts, which is one of the most inspiring duets one could hope for. I've praised their cd "5 More Dialogues" as well as his improbable choir project "Different Tesselations" - Veryan Weston coerces wide artistic vision, openeness to dialogue with incredibly focus of in-the-monet creation. This trio is another example of that - a proof of consistency in quality of improvisation.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Svelia is an australian-swedish unit. One might risk an artistic hypothesis : the creativity sparks on fringes and Svelia's music happens on fringes of a veriety of styles - radical improvisation is countered by tricky and disciplined compositions, bursting energy by heartbreaking lyricism, hard-edged harmonies by melodies that will haunt your mind in sleep (a perfect example, the fittingly entitled lyrical "Beautiful Insomnia").

Avantguarde movement have many brilliant improvisers, few great composers but I'd say you'd be hard put to enlist any songwriters and that where Svelia comes in - it frames the liberating madness of free expression within the form of song.

The band will enter the studio in a couple of weeks and the album should appear later this year - frankly I can't wait and I'll try to write more about the it on the occasion. In the meantime, keep your ears wide open.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Although 2/3 of the LAMA trio is portugese the band actually was created in Rotterdam, where Susana Santos Silva and Goncalo Almeida were studying at the jazz department of the city conseravatory. The music this trumpet trio proposes is somewhere between what's free and mainstream in jazz, the mixture nicely spiced up with an intelligent use of electronics. One can easily fall in love with the "Oneiros".

15.03 Mike Parker Unified Thoery at PIEC'Art
Mike Parker is a New York born, living in Krakow bass player. His compositions for the Unified Theory band try to bring together such distand genres like avant jazz, rap, hip hop or rock. The group features some of the most prominent young talents of Krakow scene:S.Pezda-ts, C.Baszyński-tr, M.Gawęda-p, M.Parker-db, P.Dobosz-dr

Sleeping In Vilna "Why Waste Time" is one of those recordings that caught me by surprise. Even no expectations whatsover can't prepare you for the music on this album. The cd juggles styles and moods without any regard for genres, musical labels or cohesity.

The Complete Remastered Recordings on Black Saint & Soul Note is a great series that brings some of the classic and long unavailable music treasures from the vast catalog of two classic italian labels that played a major role in documenting the american jazz music of the 80's and 90's. I wrote before about the series (David Murray Octet box) and Julius Hemphill release is a good opportunity to remind you about it.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Joshua Abrams is a possibly most known for his double bass skills but Natural Information Society is a project that is largely focused on the sound of guimbri - a sort of 3-stringed ethnic guitar instrument, most known from recordings of Mali folk music.

For a short polish tour, Joshua with Lisa Alvarado invited Artur Majewski and Kuba Suchar (known otherwise as Mikrokolektyw) to join in this musical journey

The music, driven by the melodic guimbri riff and infectious, incessant tribal drum pulse, danced joyfully with the delicate trumpet and hypnotic filling the space in the groove.

Whenever Kuba Suchar turned to his electronic kit, the band would took us upon a mystic journey, hypnotic and trascendental. A kind of music that frees the soul to orbit in space, regardless of time and space.

Natural Information Society's music felt organic and complete, peacefull and joyfull. A music of ancient wisdom one might say. Here's mine interpration of the band's name: music, traditionally passed through generations was a natural foundation of a society, its link to the past, present and future, its connection to the communal memory.

I hope you'll be able to catch the group for more beatifull music.

ps. You can see above a brilliant art cover for the album "Represencing" issued (LP exclusive) on Eremite Records. Alas, having no possibility to actually play an LP record as for now, I had to resist the temptation.

Monday, March 4, 2013

This week playlists features two albums:Kamil Szuszkiewicz - ProlegomenaEd Ricart Quartet - Ancon
as well as piece by Tabata Mitsuru, playing tomorrow in Klub Re, taken from a cd from au.diom.at.
Last but not least our birthday corner is dedicated to Mama Africa Miriam Makeba, the first Lady of African Song.

Tabatu Mitsuru - guitarist of famed underground bands such as Acid Mothers Temple, Boredoms Zani Geva. To cite from the concert's description: his own input has been (dis)coloured by all from punk and industrial music, through psychedelia, folk and krautrock, to just about everything the avant-garde and improvised music have touched .
Mitsuru will play with the Krakow very own Tomek Choloniewski (bass) and Ernest Ogórek (bass)

Always on 05.03 (Tuesday) for more typically jazz music one can also consider seeing the N.S.I. Quartet at Harris Piano Jazz Bar.
The quartet with Bartlomiej Prucnal (saxophones), Cybrian Baszynski (trumpet), Michael Parker (bass) and Dawid Fortuna (drums) swept the Jazz Juniors competition in the december of the 2012. (the quartet will also play on 22.03 in PIEC'Art)

every follower of the modern jazz scene knows about Pardon To Tu in Warsaw being a great place for jazz music. I'd like you to take notice as well of the Kosmos Kosmos which on the 06.03 presents a concert with a great Marco Eneidi (played with such masters of improvised music like Bill Dixon and Cecil Taylor). Marco will play with polish musicians Ksawery Wojcinski (Hera), Marek Pospieszalski (Wojtek Mazolewski Quintet) and Michal Trela (Maciej Obara electrically Trio).

06-07.03 Wolfram Trio at PIEC'Art
PIEC'Art have to be praised for being one of the few places that gives the artists chance to meet with the audience more than just for one evening.
on 06.03 and 07.03 (Wednesday and Thursday) the club will give place for another double-night stand for a Wolfram Trio (Norway as well). The trios is:H.Meling-sax, F.L.Dietrichson-b,J.M.Gismervik-dr
and they play freely improvised jazz music, which is exactly the thing we like, ain't it?

On Firday 08.03 (Women's day) jazz fans get a day off duty but those into indie music might enjoy
Fisz / Emade with Tworzywo Sztuczne at Klub Studio :)

09-10.03 Anna Weber Percussive Mechanics at PIEC'Art
I honestly have never heard of Anna Weber but she played with Johnem Hollenbeck, Ben Streetem, Dave Douglas and Jason Moran and that is quite a recommedation in itself.
The large instrumentation (A.Webber-fl&ts, J.Wylie-as&cl, J.Heise-vbr, E.Stemeseder-p, I.Spallati-b, M.Krümmling-dr, M.Andrzejewski-dr) might be hard to handle but it seems Anna Weber a right composer for the job.

Ircha Clarinet Quartet is truly an unique band. I wholeheartedly reccomend their first cd "Larks Uprising" recorded with Joe McPhee, but it did not really represent the band's music as it really is. The Quartet share double musical interest, first of which is the ritual jewish music heritage, secondly each member of the group compose their own music for the quartet and those compositions, delicate, poetic, minimalistic share the qualities of modern music by the likes of Steve Reich or Philip Glass rather than jazz or klezmer.
The Quartet second and third release present together an honest picture of the group's musical vision as the first cd "Watching Edvard" showing their "modern composition" side and the latter one "Zikaron Lefanai" focusing on their interpretation of the jewish heritage. What remains intact through the two albums is the band's wonderfully unique collective sound and sense of unity.